Inside box-end-stapling machine.



E. CRAIG.

INSIDE Box EIID sT/IPEIND MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.'22. I9I5.

Emma Jan. 22, i918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. CRAIG.

INSIDE BOX END STAPLING MACHINE.

ggygs APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22. |915. Patented '1311.221918.

' 5 SHEETS-SHEET s.

ai J

E. CRAIG.

INSIDE BOX END STAPLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IIAII. 22. I9I5.

mg Patented Jan. 22,1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

E. CRAIG.

Patented Jan. 22, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

EDWARD CRAIG', 0F ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TG SARANAC MACHINE COIV' E ANY, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN,

A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

INSIDE BOX-END-STAPLING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 22. 19t@ Application filed March 22, 1915. Serial lilo. 16,230.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD CRAIG, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident` of St. Joseph, Berrien county, Michigan, Niles Avenue, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Inside Box-Fiid-Stapling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to stapling machines of the kind employed for stapling the heads or end walls of wire-bound boxes in position at tlie ends of the box.

Generally stated, the object of my invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement whereby, in a so-called inside end stapler of this general character,

tliestaple ismade and driven at a point inside of the box, and in vone and the same plane, thereby obviatin'g the necessity of forming the staple in one plane and then transferring it to another plane for insertion,l and whereby the staple is formed at a point very close to the point of insertion thereof in the box-head or end wall.

Another object is to provide an inside end stapliiig machine of this kind, as above stated, havingnieaiis other than the stapleformer for cutting ori the wire, by a short movement thereof as compared with the relatively long stroke of the staple-former, and

whereby the lengtliof the section wire thus cut off o-r severed is greater tha-nthe width of the staple-former. 'thereby insuring a staple 'of the 4desired length and size, notwithstanding the factthat the staple-'former is oa width and shape to facilitate the driving ot" 'the staples quite close to the iiii nerv surtaceotl the side walls of the box.

It is also an objectto provide certain details-and. ynovelV features of construction and combinationsl tending to increase thegeneral efficiency and' desirability of an inside end stapler of this particular character.

To the `foregoing andl other useful lends my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed;

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is Aa side elevation oit an inside end stapler embodying the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan of the said machine, showing the outer end portion thereof broken away for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section, scale on line 8-3 of Fig.

Fig. fi is an enlarged side elevation, partly in vertical section, of astapling mechanism and adjacent parts shown at the left in Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a detail section on line 5-5 in Fig.' 4. i

F ig. Fig. 4.

Fig. Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged side elevation of the stapling mechanism, showing the side plate of the housing' or casing thereotl removed to bring the parts into view.

Fig. l0 is a perspectiveot the upper end portion of the staple-former.

F l1 is a` similar View of the stapleanvil..

Fig. i9 is a perspective of the stapling parts and mechanism shown iii Fig. 9, illustrating the manner in which the end portion of the wire is fed directly across the path of' the biturcated staple-former, and also directly across the path ot the stapledriver which slides in the slot of the said staple-former.

on a larger 6 is a largesection on line 6--6 in 7 is a similar section on line 7-7 in 8 is a similar sec-tion on line 8 8 in Fig. d3 isa perspective of the separate or independentwire-cutter which is employed in conjunction with the staple-forming and driving devices, whereby the cutting of the Wire is not dependent upon the stapleformer, and whereby the length of the staple is not dependent, as is ordinarily the case in Vmechanism ot' this kind, upon the Width of rectly position the latter during the succesbeing adapted to support the box-head or vis end wall latwise upon its top or upper surface, and to engage the inner surface of the side walls of the boX.

The stapling mechanism which is disposed at the outer end of the arm or support B is shown in Figs. 4 and 9 to 14: inclusive, and

former is unlocked from the driver, and

also inl Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, and comprises a staple-former C consisting of a flat meta-l y bar provided at its upper end with a slot 0 having grooves c1 for the staple, and at its upper end the said staple-former is provided with notches 02 which receive the wire when the latter is fed into position. At its lower end the said staplefor1ner is provided with a notch c3 to receive the end portion of the latch 04, which latter-is pivoted atc5 on the staple-driver D, the latter being lin the form of a flat bar resting flatwise against the side of the staple-former. As shown`in Fig. l2, and also in Fig. 1l, the end of the latch c* is in engagement with the lower end ofthe staple-former, whereby the latter and the staple-driverwill move upward together; but when` the shoulder c of said latch strikes the stationary cam ci, the la-tch is then tripped to permit upward movement of the staple driver-while the staple-former remains stationary with its bevel 08 against the under side of the boxhead or end wall. I

IThis cam 07 is formed on a bar or strip C9 which is held in the housing creasing 01 by means of a screw 011. or in any suitable manner, the said cam being the end of a groove or similar formation 012 formed for a suitable distance along the said bar or strip. The staple-driver D has a portion (l which slides in the slot c of the staple-former, and

downwardly extending rod cl3 which eX- tends through a lug c on the lower end of the staple-driver and a spring .C15 is interposed between said lug and the lower end of vthe stapleeformei, on said rod to hold the staple-former against the work after said whereby the staple-former and staple-driver are restored to their normal relative positions after the driving of the staple. It will also be seen that the staple-driver D is provided on one edge thereof with teeth d2 which form a rack for engaging the toothed segment E, the latter being supported by horizontal bolt or stud e secured to the side wall b of the support B, inside of the latter, whereby the staple-former and staple-driver are reciprocated up and down by the oscillation of the said toothed segment 0r fragmentary pinion. As .sh-own in Fig. 5, the loop' bar F, or staple-anvil, is secured to a `flat spring f', this spring resting flatwise against the staple-driver and being secured to the casing f1 of the staple mechanism by screws f? at the lower end thereof. This anvil F is provided with a slot or notch f3 to receive the wire,and also with a cam f4 immediately below said notch or wire slot.

Thus, and when the upper end of the stapledriver portion d engages the cam f4, during the upward movement of the staple-driver and staple-former, the spring f is flexed away from. the adjacent Hat surface of the staple-driver, leaving the staple in the grooves c1 of the staple-former. It will be seen that the anvil F normally occupies the slot c, and is inposition to coperate with the upper end of the staple-former in bending the length of wire into the desired form, as the prongs of the staple-former move upward at opposite sides of said anvil.

The mechanism for cutting the wire coinprises a reciprocating wire cutter G arranged to slide up and down on the upper and inner edge of the staple-former', being provided with a knife g at its upper end, which knife is disposed obliquely and in position to leave thep wire with a tapered or beveled sharp end, and with a notch g1 for engaging theend portion of the bell crank lever H which is pivoted at it on the side wall b of the support B, whereby said lever is operative to reciprocate the cutter G up and down. For this purpose the lever H is provided at its upper end with a roller h1 for engaging the cam h2 on thehub portion ofthe toothed segment E, whereby the cutter G is given only a slight movement as compa-red with the relatively long stroke of the staple-former. A vstationary guiding member g2 is secured in position to coperate with 'the knife g, and the wire'is fed through this -guiding member by a feed tube g3 suitably held in position at right angles to the length of theI staple-former at a point opposite. the notch f3 of the anvil. A rod el is pivotally connected with lan arm. e2 extending upwardly from the hub of the toothed segment- E, and when this rod is mbv'ed inthe direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 9, the different elements of the stapling mechanism are operated upwardly, in the manner described, to insert the staple I through the box-head or end wall z' and rod -e movesr in tl elements ot' the staL 'j mechanism are then brought ba to normal position, tle toothed segment a ving a rollei e3 which engages the leva* itl to insure complete downward movement of the vfii'eeoutter. lt will be observed, this juncture, that the staple driver and stapledformer and the housing thereof are disposed at suoli an angle that the dire tion ot insertion oi the staple is on a line extending through the plane oi tf side Wall ot box, whereby the sta ple is inserted oblituelj/ in the manner shown iniig., 9., lt will also be seenthat with ti const-rectum and mode of operation. the

si nie is dri enin the same. plane in which it was made, thus obviating the necessity o t` nieanst'or shifting it from one plane to another, or from one position to another, Ibefore thrusting it forward for the purpose of insertion.

llt/ita 'the construction shown, it will be seen that one leg of the biifui'eated staple-- former C (the leg nearest the side Wall 'e' oit the box) is a little longer than the other leo' or prong of the staple-former, so that it 'iinall bears a ainst the under side of the box-head a', during the driving oit the staple.

falso1 the Wire is t'ed and out olig in such v me that, When formed into a staple., the

leg of the staple nearest the box-side 'i2 is longer thanthe other leg, Wherebv7 the two points ot' the staple, although of unequal -length, enter the box-head and the cleat at about the saine time, or substantially so, not- Vwithstanding the oblique direction in Whieh the staple is inserted (see Fig. 9). In this Wav, the tivo points of the staple are inserted about the same distance in the cleat, and the two points enter the Work prac tically the same time, so that the pressure is the same at both sides oi the staple, but which 'would not be the oase one point entered first, as in that event the pressure would be all on one side of the staple until the other point` red the Worin The means or de. ces for ling the wire comprise a pair of feed roll i and n, these rolls being geared together :for the purpose of feeding the wire into the "libe which leads to the short feed tube g/ troin which he ,vire i i the stapling in y vcani /cAA se direction, the

the machine. Said shaft is provided with a n .engaging a roller on the pawl ivhereojt the latter is reciprooated back and "forth t'or thepuriose of operating the, tuunee it, it being understood that 1efnn is ot' such eliaraeter that the be. ied at the proper tinie-that is sometime previous to the upward nn minent ot the staple-former. A. spring is serves to retract the said paivl k1 of. the wire feeding mechanism.

The rod el is provided at its end with a portion et having a slot e5 for the shaft L, and having also a roller e for engaging the cani groove e7 of the cani M, which latter is secured to the shaft L in an7 suitable inanner, lfn this way, it will be seen that the rotati he shaft L, which latter is sup ot' ported in suitable bearings Z on the body trame oit the machine, serves to operate both "ie stapling mechanism and the Wire'feeding devices, the two cams being timed to ol @rate in the proper manner.

lever is pivoted on the body frame at et and provided at its outer end with an adjustable screw al for engaging the top of the cleat l of the box. See Figs. l, e, and ift The other end of this lever N is provided `With a roller n2 for engaging the periphery outer edge of the @am M, it being observed that the said periphery or edge .is of a shape to cause the roller n2 Lo move up and down when shaft L is rotated. 1n this way the screw 'nl is caused to move donn against the eleat oit the box at the proper time to resist the upward thrust of the staple-driver. rThen when the staple is driven l e prei are relaxes, inasmuch. as the earn M .ermite the roller ft2 to move downward, whereby the box is unelainped'to permit shifting thereof to a new position for receiving the next staple.

it. clutch on the shaft L is controlled by a toot lever o through the medium of a oluteibconneoting rod 01, said lever being suitably pivoted on the base of the machine, whereby the operator or attendant may oontrol the operation of the machine at, Will.

rilius it will be seen that the staple is formed at a point quite Close to the point oit insertion in the box, notwithstanding the fact that it is made and driven inside of 'the box, and notwithstanding the further fact that the staple is driven quiteelose to the side Wall of the box. In other Words, the staple is never shifted laterally from the time it is formed until the time it enters the box. it is driven in a straight line directly ple-former for cutting former, whereby the opposite ends of the severed section of Wire project at the opposite sides of the stapleformer. Consequently, and With this lmethod, a much longer and larger staple is formed than would be the 'case .if the staple-former itself were employed for cutting off the Wire. In order to'properly drive the staple close to the side wall of the-box, is reduced in Width, and the use of the stathe wire is further precluded or rendered undesirable by the beveling of the upper end of the stapleformer to enable it to bear against the under side of the box-head or end Wall during the insertion of the staple. For this reason, therefore, a separate and distinct Wire cutter is employed, such as the cutter G, as previously described, and the feeding'of the wire is so gaged or adjusted that the severed section of Wire is longer than the Width of the staple former, thus insuring the proper length for the staple, notwithstanding the size and formation of the stapleformer.

lVith further respect to the cutting of the Wire, it will be seen that the end of the tube g3 can be beveled on one side, in a suitable manner, and thereby adapted to cooperate with the knife g to cut off the Wire when the cutter G moves upward. It will be understood, however, that any suitable means can be employed for coperating with the cutter G to sever the Wire.A v

What I claim as my invention is zl. A machine for inserting staples out-I ivardly through the heads and into the cleats of wirebound boxes, by successive'operations inside of the box, comprising means for engaging the inner surfaces of the box to properly' position the same for the binsertion of the staples, and a staple forming and driving mechanism associated with said means, arranged to operate inside of the box, said mechanism includingdevices arranged to form the staple in the plane of :insertion thereof, and said mechanism hav ing a driver' arranged to operate in said plane to carry the staple in a straight lme directly from the forming position to the place of insertion.

2. The saidmachine, as set forth in claim l, one of said devices being a. bifurcated staple former having its end shaped to engage theinner surface of the box to serve as a guide for the staple, and said driver sliding in said staple former.

- 3. The said machine, as set forth in claim l, the insertion being in a. directionoblique to and through the plane of the adjacent side of the box.

4. The said machine, as set forth in claim 1, one of said devices being a bifurcated staple former, and said mechanism having the staple-former' instrumentalities for feeding and cutting off asection of Wire longer than the Width of said staple former.

5. The said machine, as set forth in claim l, said devices including a staple former, and a wire cutter separate from said devices and movable only a short distance as compared with the relatively long stroke of the staple-former.

6.' The said machine, as set. forth in claim 1, said devices including a movable anvil, a

.staple former cooperating with said anvil to form the staple, and a staple driver, said anvil having means 'to engage. sai' driver, and a springV to permit movement of said anvil by said engagement thereof with the staple, driver.

7. The said machine, as set forth in claim 1, said devices including a staple former and a staple driver disposed fiatWise together, a fiat spring secured at one end and arranged flatwise againstthe staple driver, an anvil on said spring to cooperate with the staple former in bending the Wire, a cam on said anvil, and means on the staple driver to engage said cam and push the anvil from the operating position thereof.

8. lThe saidmachine, as set forth in claim l, a shaft remote from said mechanism, a Wire-feeding means adjacent said mechanism, a clamp for holding the box down, and cams on said shaft to operate said mechanism and wire-feeding means and clamp.

9. A machine for inserting staples, comprising a staple-former, a staple-driver, a Wire-cutter disposed at one side 'of said staple-former, a device to feed the Wire across the path of said staple-former and staple-driver and Wire-cutter, a member connected to actuate said staple-driver, a locking device to connect said staple-driver with said staple-former, means for auto matically causing said locking device to unlock the staple-former from the stapledriver after the formation of the staple, an element for actuating said Wire-cutter, and means on said member to operate said ele# ment, the arrangement being such that said staple-former has a longer stroke than said wire-cutter.

10.The said machine, as set forth in claim 9, in which said member comprises an oscillating toothed segment, the staple-driver having rack-teeth to engage said segment. and said element comprisinga pivoted lever having `one end thereof arranged in opera- Width of the staple-tower, so that the sevpoints of the staple although of unequal 10 ered ength of Wire extends at both ends be length enter the head and cleat substantially youd the staple-former. at the same time.

13. The seid machine, as set forth in Signed by me at- Chieago, Illinois, this claim l, in which said devices are adapted to 17 th day of March,.19l5. form the leg of the staple adjacent the side EDWARD CRAIG. of the box longer than the other leg thereof, and in which the direction of insertion is oblique to the side of the box, so that the two Vitnesses:

RACHEL J RICHARDSON, ROSE E. SEHNEM.' 

